Mel and I were dear friends from our days at Hartwell Elementary. He was planning on attending the 50th, but wouldn't let me send along his contact info, preferring to just show up. We shared birthday's all our lives, Mel being 36 hours older than me.

He was still going strong, with no thought of retiring. We visited whenever I was in town and toured his many construction projects. Mel, Joe Boone and I lived close by, and spent all our summers together. To lose both in the same year is heartbreaking.